Works by international artist Simon Redington will be on display during the exhibition, “The Grand Charade,” at the Gibson Gallery at SUNY Potsdam. The show will open on Sept. 20, and remain on display through Nov. 3.

POTSDAM, NY – The Art Museum at SUNY Potsdam will unveil an exhibition by international artist Simon Redington next week. The show, titled “The Grand Charade,” will kick off with an opening reception at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 20, and will be on display through Saturday, Nov. 3.

“The Grand Charade” will bring together several separate series by Redington. The highlight of the show, according to the artist, will be his series marking the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Redington has pasted this document onto 20-foot-tall boards, displayed in five columns, in bold headline type.

Redington punctuated the manuscript with mixed media and collaged drawings. He has returned to these drawings over several years, continually re-working them using black and white materials, Chinese ink, acrylic paint, pencils, charcoal, chalk and crayons. The work is also dotted with collages, including newspaper clippings, bits of Marvel comics, martial imagery and Hollywood stills.

“I had never read the declaration before when I came across it by chance,” Redington said. “It struck me for its simplicity … and it soon became clear that there was a link to my thoughts at the time — the text of the declaration and my reactions to the numerous and increasing instances of malevolence occurring around the world.”

The artist will be in attendance for the installation of the exhibition and the opening reception.

The Art Museum at SUNY Potsdam serves as the center for visual arts at the College, and encompasses all of the collections found throughout campus, including in the Gibson Gallery. The Museum is dedicated to the exhibition and interpretation of quality works of art, and its collection includes significant artworks from the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as earlier pieces. The mission of The Art Museum at The State University of New York at Potsdam is to make direct experience of the visual arts accessible to students, faculty, staff and alumni of the College, as well as to residents of Northern New York.

Admission to the Gibson Gallery, located at Brainerd Hall, is free, and the exhibition space is wheelchair-accessible. The Art Museum is open to the public from 1 to 7 p.m. from Tuesday to Thursday, and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Additional hours are also available by appointment.

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of only three arts campuses in the entire SUNY system. SUNY Potsdam’s arts curriculum offers the full palette: music, theatre, dance, fine arts and creative writing. No matter the discipline, people from all backgrounds can find their creative compass at Potsdam, with myriad arts immersion experiences available for both campus and community. To learn more, visit http://www.potsdam.edu.